Apostolic Movements – Distinctive Practices and Shifts

Dave Gibbons recently authored The Monkey and the Fish: Liquid Leadership for Third Culture Leaders. The following are some thoughts I captured as he spoke about Apostolic Movements during Verge 2010.


Movement is how the mission is to be accomplished. Gibbons sited five distinctive practices of apostolic movements:

1. Ordain every believer
2. Lead with a “Yes” then ask “How”
3. Teach people to “Go” and not just “Bring”
4. Plant the Gospel before Planting a Church
5. Foster Incarnational and Apostolic – not just one and done (train an apprentice)

Significant global shifts that we are or will deal with in releasing apostolic movement:

• Justice issues are profound. Global capitalistic ideas are resulting in a widening gap between the poor and the rich. Terrorism no longer concerned about nations but about individuals with capacity to damage all.
  
• Power shifts are significant. July 27, 2048 is forecast as the date when China will surpass the US as it relates to life expectancy of persons and income per capita.
• We must shift from creating strategies to unleashing the capacity of the Holy Spirit in lives of those on the journey; to let the Glory of the Lord Shine. Beauty is intrinsic in the fabric of the word Glory. Let the beauty of the Holy Spirit flow through your congregation, especially in the work of justice, advocacy and compassion. His glory will shine!
• We are shifting from a church with walls (where the focus is on buildings) to a church without walls (where everyone plays).
• We are shifting from steps and solutions to customization of tools – From our traditional instruments that analyze the strengths and gifts people possess to tools that have to do with people’s stories and narrative; how their pain has prepared them for God’s purposes.
• We must shift to adopt a biblical theology of liquid leadership. The bible speaks clearly to contextualization. Jesus became flesh that we might know Him. Paul became all things to all me that he might win some. We must contextualize as required to become servants to reach the many.

Gibbons is transitioning toward the following priority: “How can we develop 300 highly committed instead of believing all power rests in size? A 30,000 member church does not actually yield greater influence. The greatest influence is wielded in the small things where God has first place.”